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March 2o, 192s. mzos E. SCHIN RADIAL BEARING Filed Sept. 26, 1919 INVENTOR MJU?! Hls AM Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

usaran stares retrete ALEXANDER E. SCI-SEIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SPERRY GYRO- SCOPE COMPANY, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Y RADIAL BEARING.

Application filed September .26, 1919. Serial No. 326,541.

This invention relates to journal bearings and the lubrication thereof. It has been the practice heretofore to construct bearings so that the internal diameter of the journal receiving portion is greater than the diameter of the journal by a'definite fraction of the vi diameter of the journal, frequently one twothousandths of the diameter of the journal, in order to provide a space for lubricating fiuid between the journal and the bearing.

In such constructions the weight of the journal is supported by an oil film of small area, since the distance between the external surface of the journal and the internal surface of the bearing increases on each side of the bottom point of said internal surface. Consequently, when journals supporting heavy loads are employed, t-lieroil film is of insuficient area to support the journal and the oil from the film is gradually squeezed out into the larger space between the journal and bearing, until the bottoms of thejournal and bearing come directly int-o Vcontact with each other, with resultant damage to the bearing. By means of my invention the journal is supported by an oil film of sufficient area to prevent the journal from contacting with the bearing, and at the same time sufficient clearance between the journal cooling by the oil.

My invention has especial application to the bearings for the rotors of large gyroscopes such as used for stabilizing ships. Such bearings present a different problem from the ordinary bearing since the direction of the thrust is constantly changing due both to the changed component of gravity as the gyroscopeoscillates and to gyroscopic reaction.

Referring to the drawings wherein I have shown what I now consider to be the preferred forms of my invention:

Fig. l is a sectional view of one form of my improved bearing.

Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the bearing `of Fig. l after the first step in its construction.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the bea-ring shown in Fig. l during the second step in its construction.

and bearing is provided Vto insure proper 'form of bearing.

Fig. 5 is a sectional fi'cation.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view cation.

Fig? is a vsectional view Von line 8 8 of view of another modiof another modiy Fig. '1.

In a bearingof the ordinary type, the diameter of the bearing exceeding the diameter of the journal by some definite fraction of the diameter of thejournal. In such construction the distance between the outer surface of the journal and the inner surface of the bearing increases on each side of the center of pressure at the bottom of the bear-r ing. As a result the weight of the journal 1s supported by only a small extent of oil film, and the oil beyond, at small distances to each side of the center of pressure,

forms no support for the journal since the distance between the journal and bearing beyond these points exceeds the oil film thickness. In cases where the journal carries a load of great weight, as for instance a gyrorotor, the oil film becomes graduallyforced out near the center Aof pressure unt-il the journal contacts with the bearing', whereupon damage to the bearing s the'result.

In order to overcome the objections above pointed out I construct the bearing with an internal curvature which conforms with the curvature of the oil film. To accomplish this I construct the bearing with a diameter equal to the diameter of the journal plus an amount necessary to maintain a required thickness of oil film at all points about the journal. This latter amount, of course, de-

pends upon the thickness of the oil lm used,

and should be double said thickness. One of the forms which my invention may take is illustrated in Fig. l.

In this figure, 3 designates the outer p0rtion of a bearing. The inner portion of said bear-ing may be composed of sections 4f, 5, 6, and 7, preferably each having a lining 8 of Babbitt metal. In the construction of this form of bearing said sections are bored until their internal diameter is equal to the diameter of the journal .plus double the oil film thickness, as shown in Fig. 2. In this way the area of the oil film in supporting contact with the journal is greatly increased. If, however, the bearing were utilized in its form as shown in Fig. 2, the oil would become vheated rapidly and consequently I enlarge the internal circumfer .ence yof thebea-ring sections slightly to pro- The ends of said grooves adjacent channels "l'areclosed while theopposite ends of the groovesl are preferablyoppositely inclined as atv27 in Fig. 1, andas the journal rotates in either direction 'it carries oil from one V groove tothe next. yIn Fig. l, assuming the Weight of' the"jouinal to' be' directed against section 7, vit willbe seen that, as the 'journal `rotatesfin the direction ofthearrow, oil enteringthrough" groove 12 :will 'be wedged between the inclined surface 27 of said groove and the journalf and will befurther "carriedby saidjournal to form' an effective supporting nlm between the journal and the entire 'internal areakof section 7 forming the "working surface. `S`aid oil is, of course, f'heatedconsiderably andis finally brought into contact'with fresh oil pumped through "groove 11'4 and carriedaroundthe yidle surfaces, l'of-blocks', '5and 4, wherebyit cooled.

The bearing, linstead of being formed "from sect1ons,"1nay be'constructed 'm solid form asv shown "in F ig. 4. 'The bearing 15 -finthis figure"1nay"'be"`formed by boring by "means ofl a mandrelhaving a diameter equal to that of the journal 16 -plus double the oil film thickness. 'The diametermay thenbeY enlarged slightly in vany suitable way, as "by boring,"to`provide vfor circulation of the oil. will be'seen "thatin this figure lthe kjournal isA supportedby thefoil film over an angle of about 100.

`Another" modification of "my invention is shown Iin Fig. 5. In this figure the inner lining A17 A'of rthe bearing shell 18 is provided ournal plus a certain fraction of said diamewith ai diameter equal to the diameterof the 'fter,*`as is the Y'case with the ordinaryl bearing.

In order to prevent the oil'ilm frombeing vsqueezed out S-fiorn between 'the' journal and the inner lining of the bearing, I may mak-e the diameter 19-20 of the shell ldlonger than the diameter 21-22, thus providing a cavity into which the portions of the lining bearing comprises twosections 23 and 24,

which are bored out to the diameter of the journal-plus twice the oil film thickness, and are then separated by shims or spacers 25 of sufficient thickness to provide for the proper oilcooling The sides and are then scraped to `correspondingly 'increase the diaineterbetween them.

Itshould be observed that the preferred forms-ofmy invention are especially adapted for gyroscopic rotors, since the proper bearing 'surface is presented'whether the thrust `-be 'up or* down, right or left.

In accordance with the. provisions ofthe patent statutes, I have herein described the principle of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider 'to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I deside to have it understood that' the vapparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, lwhile it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combination and relations described, some-'of these may be altered and others omitted without 'interfering with the more'generalresults outlined, and the invention extends to 'such use.

- Having v'described my inventiomfwhat I claim as'new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, afjournal subject" to receive a load in a: plurality ofquadrants, a `bearingr for said journal adapted! to receive lubricating fluid between saidjournal and bearing, the inner surface of 'saidbearing being provided with vlongitudinal grooves dividing the bearing intosectors, means for lsupplying said grooves with lubricating fluid the curvature of the bearing surface between .each adjacent v *pair4 v-of grooves being such as to maintain a film of uniform thickness between Athe journal andv theV bearing when the load -is'e'xertcd on that sector and a greater clearance between the journal and the bearingat all other points. ,j

2. A bearing comprising a plurality "of bearing blocksv bored to an internal diameter which exceedsthediameter of vthe 'jour nal only'by' an amount suiicient tomaintain the proper thickness oftheflm oflubrieating fluid'at the working surface of said bearing and vspaced to'provide aflargerclear- 'ance `at vthe idlesu-rfaces'of the 'bearing thereby cooling the lubricating` fluid.

8. A bearing having a plurality of portions of its inner circumference of a radius tors having equal radii of curvature, said of curvature which exceeds the radius of the radii each being equal to the radius of said journal only by the uniform thickness of journal plus the thickness of the supporting 10 the supporting lin of lubricating fluid. lm of lubricating uid.

5 4. In combination, a journal, a bearing In testimony whereof I have affixed my thereof having an internal circumference signature. comprising a plurality or" sectors, said sec- ALEXANIHER E. SCHEIN. 

